San Francisco Helping Middle-Income Families Pay for Home Care

A great deal of attention is provided to low-income families -seniors and disabled adults- when it comes to home care support services. For those who barely have enough income to cover basic living expenses, such as rent or mortgage, food, and utilities, it can feel almost impossible to even consider paying a home care aide or a visiting nurse, even when it’s absolutely necessary.

For those lower income families and individuals, Medicare and Medicaid provides options, but what about for those earning a bit more than the threshold for these support services? Lower middle income families could find themselves on the outskirts, in the place where the eye cannot see, so to speak. They may earn too much to qualify for Medicare or Medicaid support for home care, but based on increased cost-of-living metrics in certain regions -like San Francisco- couldn’t afford a home care aide on their own.

San Francisco is now offering a city-funded voucher program that will provide $600 every two weeks to be used to pay for a home care aide. These aides can assist with a wide range of tasks throughout the week, including preparing meals, helping clients do laundry, run errands, and even assist them in getting to and from doctors’ appointments.

“The program is designed for people who have long struggled to afford home care on their own but who earn too much to qualify for free or low-cost home care like In-Home Supportive Services provided by Medi-Cal, the insurance program for the poor. To be eligible, San Francisco residents must earn no more than $80,700 a year, the city’s median income, and have less than $40,000 in assets, excluding a house or car. The program costs the city $1.5 million a year and provides assistance in amounts ranging from $300 to $1,300 a month, depending on a person’s income.”

Many middle and lower middle income families are overlooked when it comes to government subsidies and support when home care is needed, mostly because their income disqualifies them from it. However, as the cost of living in many cities across the country continues to spiral upward, it’s leaving many of these aging men and women unable to even consider paying for home care support, even when it’s desperately needed.

Programs like this can offer some relief to men and women of all ages who struggle with Activities of Daily Living.

A great deal of attention is provided to low-income families -seniors and disabled adults- when it comes to home care support services. For those who barely have enough income to cover basic living expenses, such as rent or mortgage, food, and utilities, it can feel almost impossible to even consider paying a home care aide or a visiting nurse, even when it’s absolutely necessary.